Kathmandu. Dr. Govinda K.C. has been on a hunger strike since September 14, for the 19th time in his tireless efforts to ensure reforms in state’s medical education. The senior orthopedic surgeon has amassed a wide range of supporters who have backed his cause, and tried to appeal to the government to engage in a meaningful dialogue with him.

A voice that has recently come up in his support has been of the President of the Nepali Congress, which is the main opposition party in Nepal. Sher Bahadur Deuba has made an appeal to Prime Minister KP Sharma Oli to protect Dr. K.C.’s life. He noted that as the doctor’s health has reached a critical stage, it was astonishing that the government was yet to take any meaningful steps to convene with a negotiation regarding the demands that have been clearly presented.

In his address, he has highlighted that the demands that came from Dr. K.C., including effective management of Covid-19 and improving the medical education, were points that were constantly put forth by the opposition, especially when Sushil Koirala served as the President of the NC. He went on to mention the less than favorable treatment that Dr. K.C. has as of yet received from the government and threw a spotlight on the “National Medical Education Ordinance” that was drawn up by his administration. Deuba maintained that not only has the current government been unsuccessful in seeing the ordinance through, it has also violated the previous agreement that it had reached with Dr. K.C.

He ended his letter by underscoring the urgency with which the government must act to save Dr. K.C., who has entered into the twenty-first day of his hunger strike, and pay attention to his demands. The consequences of ignoring the condition, he warned, would be dire.